Sports

Jeff Francis moved to Rockies DL; Colorado calls up DJ LeMahieu

The Colorado Rockies shook up their roster a bit Thursday afternoon. The club placed veteran left-handed starter Jeff Francis on the 15-day disabled list because of a left groin strain.

In a late afternoon move, Colorado announced it had recalled infielder DJ LeMahieu and right-handed reliever Rob Scahill from Triple A Colorado Springs. Infielder Reid Brignac was designated for assignment.

LeMahieu and Scahill will be available for Thursday night's game against San Francisco.

"It's frustrating, you know?" said Francis, who last pitched Tuesday at Chicago. He said he injured the groin in the second inning of that game and it tightened up between innings.

"To go out and pitch like I did and get a groin injury? That's tough," Francis said, adding that he's never had a groin injury before.

Francis, who'd been struggling and was in danger of losing his spot in the rotation, allowed just one run in six innings against Chicago. He struck out seven and walked one.

"The way he pitched, we didn't think it would be a long-term issue, but he's been really sore since," manager Walt Weiss said Thursday. "The fact that he threw a game the other night and got through six innings says a lot about him."

The Rockies are expected to make another roster move to address the loss of Francis soon. Francis' next start was scheduled for Sunday. The team likely will call up either right-hander Tyler Chatwood or lefty Drew Pomeranz to start in his place. Pomeranz, however, was scheduled to start for the Triple-A Sky Sox Thursday night, so at this point, Chatwood's promotion seems more likely.

Francis said he was able to pitch through some discomfort on Tuesday night, but after consulting with team trainer Keith Dugger, it was decided that going on the DL was the best course of action.

"Doogie said it would take about seven to 10 days (to heal)," Francis said. "It tightened up on me yesterday and I thought it would get better. But it didn't. It's just as sore today as it was yesterday.

It's no secret that LeMahieu was upset when he didn't make the big-league team out of spring training. But he channeled that frustration into production at Triple-A, batting .364, with eight doubles, five triples, one home run and 22 RBIs in 33 games.

"I was pretty disappointed and I think that kind of fueled me a little bit," LeMahieu said. "I felt like I deserved to be up here. I feel good defensively and I felt like I've improved."

LeMahieu will likely be used at second, third and shortstop, with spot starts.

Weiss said LeMahieu played himself onto the big-league team in much the same way that rookie third baseman Nolan Arenado forced his way onto the big-league roster at the end of April.

"Reid's a great pro and done everything we have asked and been a great teammate," Weiss said. "But I think it was just a matter of DJ creating an opportunity for himself. DJ was playing really well. It didn't come down to something that Reid hadn't done, it was more about DJ getting an opportunity."

Weiss said he liked the way LeMahieu responded to the disappointment of not making the team.

"He went down there and he took care of his business," Weiss said. "He went down there and did his thing and hammered away and put together a (heck) of a month and a half. That was a great job by DJ."

Brignac, 27, was acquired Tampa Bay during spring training and made the opening-day roster. In 29 games he batted .250 with three doubles, one home run, six RBIs and four runs scored.

He was acquired, in part, to provide depth behind Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop as Tulo tested out his surgically repaired groin. With Tulowitzki playing well and feeling healthy again, Brignac became expendable.

Rockies are on pace to lose 93 games this seasonThe Rockies lost three of four in St. Louis and are on pace to lose 93 games as they come home for a three-game series with Seattle before going back on the road again to face Washington.